Diaphragm pumps



W. J. BRIAN Dec. 19, 1967 DIAPHRAGM PUMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Deo. 8, 1965 f Il!!! Il Attorneys Dec. 19, 1967 w. .1. BRIAN DIAPHRAGM PUMPS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 y Filed Dec. 8, 1965 By/fw #676774@ Attorneys United States Patent 3,358,610 DIAPHRAGM PUMPS William J. Brian, Ballywalter, Northern Ireland, assignor to Munster Simms Engineering Limited, Belfast, Northern Ireland, a British company Filed Dec. 8, 1965, Ser. No. 512,408 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Dec. 8, 1964, 49,873/64 2 Claims. (Cl. 103-150) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A diaphragm pump has a dished casing and one Wall comprised by a flexible diaphragm clamped over a rim of the casing. An extension on the casing oftr to one side of and spaced from the rim carries a pivotally mounted handle having a portion extending over and secured to the diaphragm. The diaphragm can thus be easily removed to give unobstructed access to the interior of the pump.

The casing has inlet and outlet valves whose axes are disposed at a substantial angle to each other, and the diaphragm moves substantially along the bisector of that angle.

This invention relates to diaphragm pumps, especially, but not exclusively, for use in sailing craft, motor boats or the like, hereinafter and in the claims referred to simply as diaphragm pumps.

According to the present invention, a diaphragm pump includes a casing formed with a chamber -and having an inlet, an outlet and an aperture with an outwardly projecting extension, a diaphragm overlapping and secured to said extension, and means for moving the diaphragm into and out of the chamber to vary the volume of the chamber.

Preferably the diaphragm comprises a flexible dished element having an outward extension overlapping and secured to the extension of the aperture, and a central rigid supporting structure having at least one plate secured to the exible element is connected to a lever mechanism to which is connected means for actuating said mechanism.

referably also, the means for actuating the lever mechanisms is a handle secured to the mechanism.

Preferably further a circumferential clip, for example a spring clip, worm drive clip or quick release clip is provided to secure the diaphragm to the casing. The inlet and the outlet may each be covered on one side by a movable flap of resilient waterproof material, for example a synthetic resin such as neoprene (registered trademark).

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which FIG. l is a sectional, side elevational View of diaphragm pump showing the diaphragm in two different operative positions, one of Which positions is shown in broken lines, and

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of the diaphragm pump.

Referring to the drawings:

A diaphragm pump includes a casing formed with a chamber 11 having an inlet 12 controlled by a non-return valve, an outlet 13 controlled Vby a non-return valve and a circular aperture with an outwardly projecting extension 14 terminating in a circumferential lip 15. A diaphragm 16 in the form of a exible dished element 17 having an outward extension 18 terminating in a circumterential lip 19 is placed over the aperture such that the 3,358,616 Patented Dec. 19, 1967 "ice extension 18ct the element 17 overlaps the extension v14 of the aperture, andthe lip 15 of the aperture is located within and embraced by the extension 18 of said element 17. A central rigid structure includes two parallel plates 20 spaced apart by the element 17, the plates 20 being secured ltogether by a nut and bolt arrangement 21, the head of the bolt having a circular aperture 22 extending from one side to the opposed side of the head. A lever 23 is pivoted at 24 to an extension 25 of the casing 10. The lever 2.3 has a bifurcated portion 26 integral with a holder 27 for a handle. The free ends of the arms of the bifurcated portion 26 embrace the head of the bolt 21 and are secured thereto by a bolt 22a passing through the aperture 22. The handle consists of a stern 2S and a knob 29; the stem 28 being litted into the holder 27 for actuating said lever 23 to move the diaphragm to vary the volume of the chamber 11.

A worm drive clip 30 secures the diaphragm to the casing 1) at the extensions 14, 18. The inlet 12 and the outlet 13 are each covered on one side by a one-Way valve in the form of a movable ap 31, 32 of resilient waterproof material, for example a synthetic resin such as neoprene (registered trademark) serving as the nonreturn valve.

The movable ap 31 is mounted at one side on the casing 10 over the inlet 12 and the movable flap 32 is mounted at one side on an annular plate 33 which is mounted over the outlet 13 to the casing, a rubber gasket 34 providing a seal between the plate 33 and the casing 10.

It is particularly to be noted that the iiaps 31 and 32 serve as inlet and outlet valves, respectively, whose axes 'are disposed at a substantial angle to each other, and that the diaphragm is movable under the inuence of the lever 23 substantially along the bisector of that angle.

In use, the diaphragm pump is secured to a rigid member and the inlet 12 is connected to a pipe leading to a supply of liquid, for example, bilge water, fresh water or the like. The outlet 13 may be connected to a pipe, nozzle or the like which leads to a sink or other receptacle, or simply allows the water to run olf when the lever 23 is actuated to move the diaphragm between the two positions shown in the drawings,

For easy access to the interior of the pump, the clip 30 is released, and the diaphragm is removed from the casing extension 14 and is placed, together with part of the lever 23, out of the immediate vicinity of the aperture.

This invention is advantageous over known diaphragm pumps in that it is less bulky than similar diaphragm pumps, and easy access is provided to the interior of t-he pump.

I claim:

1. A diaphragm pump one wall of which is formed by a dished casing and the other wall of which is formed by a flexible diaphragm, said casing having inlet and outlet valves whose axes are disposed at a substantial angle to each other, said casing having a rim over which the diaphragim engages, a clamping band releasably securing the diaphragm on said rim, the casing having an extension that extends only to one side of and is spaced from said rim, and lever means for moving the diaphragm, said diaphragm being movable under the inuence of said lever means substantially along the bisector of said substantial angle, said lever means comprising a handle pivotally mounted on said extension and having a portion which extends over the diaphragm and is connected thereto.

2. A diaphragm pump as claimed in claim 1, the axis of pivotal movement of said handle being disposed to one side of the opening bounded by said rim.

(References on following page) 

1. A DIAPHRAGM PUMP ONE WALL OF WHICH IS FORMED BY A DISHED CASING AND THE OTHER WALL OF WHICH IS FORMED BY A FLEXIBLE DIAPHRAGM, SAID CASHING HAVING INLET AND OUTLET VALVES WHOSE AXES ARE DISPOSED AT A SUBSTANTIAL ANGLE TO EACH OTHER, SAID CASING HAVING A RIM OVER WHICH THE DIAPHRAGM ENGAGES, A CLAMPING BAND RELEASABLY SECURING THE DIAPHRAGM ON SAID RIM, THE CASHING HAVING AN EXTENSION THAT EXTENDS ONLY TO ONE SIDE OF AND IS SPACED FROM SAID RIM, AND LEVER MEAND FOR MOVING THE DIAPHRAGM, SAID DIAPHRAGM BEING MOVABLE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SAID LEVER MEANS SUBSTANTIALLY ALONG THE BISECTOR OF SAID SUBSTANTIAL ANGLE, SAID LEVER MEANS COMPRISING A HANDLE PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID EXTENSION AND 